What is bodily injury liability insurance?

Bodily injury liability coverage pays for the damages if you injure someone in an auto accident and are found at fault.

What does bodily injury insurance cover?

If you hit another car head-on and the other driver suffers a broken arm or leg, bodily injury insurance may cover the costs of a lawsuit, jury award or settlement if you are found liable for the accident. This coverage applies whether the accident causes any of the following:

Injury

Sickness

Death

Bodily injury liability may also cover a portion of the costs for loss of income and pain and suffering for the person you’ve injured.

How much bodily injury coverage do I need?

How much coverage you should buy depends on a few things. According to the Insurance Information Institute, the severity of accidents rose from 2014-2015, leading to an increase in fatalities. An increase in fatalities led to an increase in personal injury costs per accident.

Also, another thing to note is that medical costs have been steadily rising; the cost of an injury in 2017 would be astronomically more expensive than it was 10 years earlier. This all means that people are paying more for personal injury costs each year, and you’re going to want your coverage to be able to keep up.

In some states, you are required to purchase a minimum amount of bodily injury liability coverage. Be sure to ask your client service representative what is required in your state.